Conveying mechanism



Feb. 2 192s. 1,511521 J. R. GEORGE CONVEYING MECHANI SM Filed March 1'8, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m NN Il Il III: s l

Feb. 2 1926.

J. R.GEORGE CONVEYING MECHANISM Filed March 18, 1921 Patented Feb. Z, 1926.

UNTED STATES 'Partnr orsi JEROME R. GEORG-E, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T VIORGAN CON- STRUCTION OOMPANY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS.

CONVEYING MECHANISM.

Application filed March 18, 1921.

To all who-m. 'if may cof/wem:

Be it known that. l, Jnnorrn R. GEORGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at 1Worcester, in the county of Vtorcester and Con'nnonuealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful ImiLnow-'ement in a Conveying l'lechanism, of which the following, together with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

The present invention relates to conveying mechanism, and more particularly to such mechanism as is used for handling the product of rolling mill. The invention contemplates.improvements in the construcltion and operation of the conveying devices which constitute the so-called connecting table and broadside transfer in a rolling mill plant, for the purpose of facilitating the longitudinal and also the broadside movement of the rolled product.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear in the` following description, reference being had to the accompanying' drawings, in Which- Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of rollingmill apparatus, showing the adaptation of the invention thereto.

Fig. 2 is a sectional vieu7 on an enlarged. scale, the section being taken on the line 2.-2 of Fig. 1. i

Fig. 3 is an enlarged View, in elevation, of one of the elements of the conveying mechanism.

Lilie reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures.

Referring first to Fig. 1, there is indicated diagrammatically a plurality of stands of reducing rollsI 1, l, the same constituting, for purposes of illustration, a continuous rolling mill of any known type equipped with a run-out table, shown here as con- Sisting of conveyor rolls 1, 1. In substantial alinement with the above mill and its run-out, and separated therefrom by a considerable distance, there is shown a second rolling mill, the same being constituted by a plurality7 of reducing rolls 2, 2, for the further reduction of the product that emerges from the rolls l, 1 ofthe first mill. Interposed between the rolls 1, 1 and the rolls 2. 2, in the manner vvell kno-Wn in apparat-us of this class, is a connecting' table adapted to procure the longitudinal movement of the stool; from the firstset of reducing rolls sei-iai No. 453,411.

'1, 1 to the second set of reducing rolls 2, 2.

According to the usual practice, a connect ing table provides a series of ordinary cylindrical conveying rolls having` on one side thereof a set of longitudinal guides or guards, the latter serving to prevent moven ment of the stock od 'the rolls. Obviously, with the use of such side guards, it is possible to shift the stock broadside from the rolls of the connecting table in one direction only` and this is a serious limitation on the flexibility and range of usefulness of the apparatus. According to thepresent invention this dii'hculty isovercome, by the provision of a. connecting table in which the conveying' devices operate automatically, in the absence of any side guards, to retain the stool; thereon, and at the: same time permit the sidewise transfer of the stock in either direction.

For the purpose of illustrating this capability of operation, the connecting table o-f the present invention, consisting of rolls 3, 3 of a special construction, as hereinafter described, is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in operative relation to sets of ordinary conveyor i rolls a, Lland 5, 5, `the same being arranged parallel to, and on opposite sides of the runout and connecting table. The rolls 4, l may be arranged to deliver material tnv instance, to another rolling mill, as indicated by thc reducing rolls 6, 6, While the rolls 5, may he arranged to deliver material. to other operating mechanism, such as a shear 7 or the like. It is contemplated, by the present invention, that the stock that is run out on the connecting table shall, as desired, be forwarded longitudinally to the reducing rolls 2, 2, or transferred broadside in either direction to the conveyor rolls 4; or the conveyor rolls 5; the instrumentalities Which permit of this select-ive operation will now be described in detail. i

Referring to Fig. 3, each roll 3 of the con` necting table is shown as comprising opposite frusto-conical portions 8, 8, preferably having between them a peripheral groove 9; at their larger and outer endsmthese frusto-conical portions are bevelled olf, as shown at 10, l0, Fig. 3, in order to facilitato the broadside movement of the stock, either onto or off of the rolls 3, 3. Between said rolls 3, 3 and the conveyor rolls 4, 4 and 5, 5 on opposite sides of the connecting table,

`vices or side-guards.

extend a plurality of fixed transverse skids 11, 11, which support the stock in its broadside movement. This broadside movement across the skids 11, 11 is effected in any suitable way, as by the use of chains 12, 12 passing over pulleys 13, 13 and carrying bevelled dogs 14, 14 that engage the stock from either side edgewise at a plurality of points.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows z-Because of the construction of the rolls 3. 3 of the connecting table, the stock, as delivered thereto by the run-out 1, is carried forward longitudinally upon said rolls, without any tendency to deflect side? wise, even in the absence of restraining derIhe angle of inclination of the opposing frustro-conical surfaces 8, 8 is such as to prevent upward or outward travel of the moving stock; in other words, this inclination is at or above the angle of slidingor moving friction, with the result that any tendency of the stock to shift transversely on the rolls 3, 3 is always in an inward direction.

For positively procuring this inward shifting, as where the stock is delivered to the connecting table more or less out of line with the longitudinal center thereof, it is proposed to produce relative movement or slipping between the rolls 3, 3 and the conveyed material. This may be accomplished, for example, by operating said rolls 3, 3 at a peripheral speed different from that of the rolls 1, 1 through proper speed control of the motors 15 and 16 which drive the rolls 3, 3 and 1, 1, respectively; the same effect can be produced, obviously, by interposing an obstruction to the movement of the material by the rolls 3, 3. In the case of square bars, as shown in Fig. 3, the central grooves 9, 9 assist not only in maintaining the stock straight and true, but also serve to carry such bars on edge, so that they may readily enter a diamond pass, as provided, along with the other usual forms of passes, in the rolls 2, 2.

In the absence of side guards or restraining devices of any character, the alined dogs 14, 14 of the chains 12, 12 can engage and move the stock transversely in either direction, transferring it at will from the connecting table, either to the conveyor rolls 4, i or to the conveyor rolls 5, 5; or if desired for any purpose, as indicated in Fig. 2, returning the stock from the conveyor rolls tothe connecting table, or carrying it clear across the connecting table to the other set of conveyor rolls.

While the invention is here shown and described in connection with a definite arrangement of rolling mill apparatus, it is to be understood that such use of the same is not obligatory, but is adapted merely for purposes of illustration; it is desired therefore that only such limitations be imposed upon the invention as are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In rolling mill apparatus, a connecting table consisting of a series of alined conveyor rolls, each providing supporting surfaces oppositely inclined from and extending substantially at right angles to the normal central position of the stock in its longitudinal travel on said rolls, the angle of iuclination of said supporting surfaces being at or above the angle of sliding or moving friction and means for imparting to said rolls a surface speed different from the linear speed at which the stock is delivered thereto, whereby, in consequence of the slippage thus produced, said stock will seek the bottom of the incline afforded by said supporting surfaces.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with the conveyor rolls of a rolling mill run-out, of a connecting` table providing rolls having oppositely inclined surfaces, and means for operating said last named rolls at a peripheral speed different from that of said conveyor rolls thereby to produce slippage of the conveyed stock, and its inward shifting on the inclined supporting surfacesfof said connecting table rolls. j

3. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with the conveyor rolls of a rolling mill run-out, of a connecting table consisting of a series of alined conveyorrolls, each providing supporting surfaces oppositely inclined from and extending substantially at right angles to the normal line of movement of the stock on said rolls, and means for operating the connecting table rolls at a peripheral speed different from that of said run-out rolls thereby to produce slippage. of the conveyed stock and its inward shifting on the inclined supporting surfaces of said connecting table rolls.

4e. In apparatus of the class described, a series of conveying rolls, each consisting of opposed frustro-conical portions inclined toward the center thereof, with a peripheral groove between said opposed portions, and means for causing broadside movement of the stock onto and off of said rolls in either direction, said means comprising movable dogs having their engaging edges inclined.

Dated March 11, 1921.

JEROME R. GEORGE. 

